Domaine Tempier, located in the heart of the Bandol appellation, was established by the Tempier family in 1834. The domaine won its first gold medal in 1885 and is one of the few 19th-century family-run wine estates that has stayed true to its past.
According to historians, Bandol’s first vines were planted around since 600 BC and the Romans exported the local wines from Bandol harbor. On 11 November 1941, Bandol was granted AOC (Appellation d’Origine Controlee) status.
Domaine Tempier’s 38 hectares are spread over several parcels facing the sea on steep, sun-drenched slopes. It is made up of a patchwork of vineyards, the main ones being La Migoua in Le Beausset-Vieux and La Tourtine and Cabassaou in Le Castellet, as well as the house in Le Plan du Castellet. The Mourvedre grape thrives on the Bandol terroir of rocky landscapes and hundred-year-old terraces. It is combined with Grenache to give the wine body and fruit, and with Cinsault which provides refinement and balance. The dark-colored Mourvedre gives the Bandol red wines their structure and elegance as well as their capacity to age well.